Hand fence-machine



(No M50161.

M. F. GONNETT, Jr. HAND FENCE MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 17, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

: MATTHEW F. GONNETT, JR, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

HAND FENCE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 376,514, dated January 17, 1888. Application filed August 29, 1887. Seiial No. 248,137. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW F. CONNEIT, J12, a resident of Peoria,in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand Fence-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and-exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention'is in hand fence-machines of the class in which certain devices serve to twist the wires of a fence in pairs at short intervals to hold intermediatepickets placed betweenthe infgertwisted wires. I am aware that machines for this purpose have heretofore been devised; but in all with which I am acquainted the mechanism is somewhat complicated and necessarily heavy, or the number of twists of the wire between the pickets is lim ited by the nature of the devices employed.

In the accompanying drawings, to which this specification refers by letter, Figure 1 shows in side View a complete machine adapted to twist three sets of wires. Fig. 2is a similar view of one of the duplicate parts shown in Fig. 1, enlarged for greater clearness. Fig.3 shows a modified construction. The remaining figures illustrate details, and are hereinafter more fully described.

Each of the duplicate parts consists of a wire-carrier mounted in a ring and practically revolving in the plane thereof in consequence of the combination of a force moving the ring bodily in a nearly circular path and the force of the wires resistance to lateral movement. The ring is provided with a removable segment, and the wires enter the ring through the opening left by the displacement of this segment.

In thedrawings, A is a rigid bar, to which are secured as many sets of twisting apparatus as there are pairs of wires to be twisted, three being shown. As these sets are exact duplicates, one only need be considered in description, and it may be remarkedthat the side'opposite that illustrated, Fig. 2, is symmetrical with it.

The wire-carrier consists of four rigid studs, I, fixed in a curved bar, E, which is itself formed integrally with a three-armed spider,

its wire-carrier, is then mounted revolubly in the ring in such manner that the fence-Wires may lie, as shown in Figs. 2, 8, between the studs I and between the ring and the concentric segment E. Now, if the ring be held stationary as regards rotation about its center, and if at the same time it be carried bodily in the proper direction approximately in the arc of a circle, its inner face acts as an inclined plane, pressingthe rollers Fin succession and causing the rotation of the spider both absolutely and with reference to the ring, twistingthefence-wires. Evidently anynumber of twists may be imparted in the same manner, for after one complete turn all the parts are in exactly their original position, and evidently, too, the direction of the twist is a matter of convenience for the operator.

In operating the device the bar A, to which the rings D are secured by bolts B, passing through rigid arms 0, formed integrally with the ring, is grasped with one or both hands by the operator.

The ring D is broken, and a small segment, D, is attached to an external latch pivoted at K in such manner that when the latch is closed the segment falls precisely into position, completing the ring. To the end that it may thus fall and be secured in proper position, the latch is perforated to pass over a pyramidal 0r conical lug, L, upon the outer face of the ring, and its end is slotted to allow it to pass overasimilarly-situated rigidhook, M. When the latch is I closed, a slightly-wedge-shaped turn-button, N, passes over its slotted end and beneath the hook I, wedging the latch securely in position.

Figs.5, 6 illustrate a modified construction, the spider being dispensed with and the wirecarrier and segment E being supported in the ring by pairs of rollers F, mounted on the segment and embracing the edge of the ring D, which in this case must project beyond the ri ngsupporting arms to allow the passage of the rollers. In both cases the notch or break in the rlng may be narrow, as in Fig. 5, and the latch be omitted; but I prefer the former construction.

In placing the twisters upon the stretched wires, or in removing them therefrom, the carrier is brought opposite the break in the ring, when the wires may readily be passed into place.

The fact that the construction of my machine permits the wires to be always twisted in one direction would be unimportant if the usual means were employed for holding the ends of the wires in front of the machine, for from the nature of the operation the wires are twisted equally upon each side. I therefore use as a part of my apparatus the tension device shown in plan in Fig. 7 and in side view in Fig. 8. In these figures, (,1 is a drum rcvolubly mounted in a frame, It, and actuated by a wrench or lever, S, operating upon the squared end of its shaft to wind a cord or equivalent passing around the drum and attached at the other end to a suitable fixed support. The reverse or unwinding motion of the drum is prevented by a ratchet, T, and pawl U. Swiveled to the frame R is an arm, V, provided with a series of rigid headed studs, \V, in the same straight line and at a distance apart greater than the diameter of the wires to be held, which are woven back and forth between successive studs until the desired resistance to slipping is obtained. Now it is plain that twisting of the wires will tend to revolve this arm, and in practical use it is found that the arm, in fact, revolves before the establishment of any twist involving set of the wires, which is the only twist found objectionable.

The rollers F may be readily removed from the carrier in succession if they be brought opposite the break in the ring D.

It is plainly not essential that the exact forms of construction shown and described be employed. For example, the flanges G may be replaced by flanges on the rollers F, or other means of securing the removable segment of the ring may be substituted. The ring D may be unbroken, the ends of the wires being passed through the ring, and the form of the carrier and number of studs therein may be varied.

What I desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s 1. In fenec-machines,awire-carriermounted within and upon a guide-ring and adapted to travel along said ring when the latter, without rotation on its center, is moved bodily in the proper direction, whereby the wires borne by the carrier are intcrtwisted to any desired extent.

2. A fence-machine comprising one or more annular guide frames, and a wire carrier mounted and revoluble in eaehpf said frames, respectively, whereby the curvilinear bodily motion of the frames may cause each carrier to travel around the corresponding frame, twisting the wires.

3. In a fence-machine, an annular guideframe and a wire-carrier mounted upon and rotating in said frame to twist the wires, said frame being discontinuous to permit the wires to pass laterally into the space inclosed by the frame.

*1. In fence machines, a wire carrier, a

broken annular guide-frame encircling amL.

forminga track for said carrier, and means whereby a segment of said frame or track may at will be removed or be fixed in position to form a part of said frame, substantially as set forth.

5. In fence-machines, a guide-frame of annular form and a wire-carrier mounted therein and rcvoluble in the plane thereof, said carrier being provided with anti-friction rollers bearing against the surface of the frame and maintaining the position of the carrier, substantially as set forth.

(3. The broken ring D and the carrier mounted therein at a fixed distance from said rings inner surface, said carrier being adapted to move along the inner surface of the ring, and thus twist the wires when the ring is given proper bodily curvilinear motion in its own plane.

7. In a fence machine, a guide-ring from which a small segment is removed, and a wirecarrier mounted in said ring and using it as a track in rotation therein, said carrier forming three sides and the ring itself the fourth side of a space for confining the wires, whereby. when the carrier is opposite the space ofthe removed segment the wires may pass into or out of the carrier, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofI have signed this specification in the presenccoftwo subscribing witnesses.

MATTHEW F. (TONNETT, J R.

Witnesses:

PAUL F. Costa, 0. II. BARTLETT.

ICC 

